Smile
by DraconoBlade
Summary: Matthew sat alone, under the tree, watching the other countries have fun. He held Kuma closer to his aching heart, trying to keep it from shattering. One-shot. PruCan. Human names used. T because I'm paranoid, but everyone says that.


Matthew sat alone.

He sat alone, all alone, under the tree, hugging his precious stuffed polar bear close to his heart that was untouched by others. It was broken, aching, sad. It pulsated throughout his chest, bringing a lump to his throat and tears to his eyes.

His mother had always said that his eyes were his most beautiful physical feature. They were purple. Not a bright, obnoxious purple, but a subdued indigo that could sparkle like stars. Could. That never meant that they did anymore. His eyes now were always a dull, faded color, brimming with tears and reflecting a lonely sadness. He would know. He'd stared in his mirror long enough.

He had stared in the mirror to try to find out what it was about him that made him invisible to others. He was slowly sinking into depression, he thought, if the bags under his dull eyes and his thin, pale complexion had anything to do with it. He really tried to be cheerful though. He was always trying to keep up a smile, even if it was a sad one. Not that anybody would care.

Nobody ever took notice of him. It wasn't that he was arrogant and wanted others to pay attention to him solely for the purpose of boosting his ego. That was his twin brother's job. And he had an enormous ego to boost, so Matthew supposed that was why Alfred was always the one to be paid attention to and he was always the one to be ignored.

No, he didn't want his ego lifted to cloud nine. He just wanted to be acknowledged by another human being. Anybody. He just wanted to see someone smile at him, or ask him a question about himself, or include him in a game, or anything.

But nobody ever saw him. He had even cried while in the midst of a crowd of people and nothing happened. Nothing at all. So he had turned away, avoided them, started to look into his mirror and try to see what others saw. Which was nothing. Nothing at all.

He assumed that it was his personality. And his voice. He had such a quiet voice and disposition. He couldn't help that he was shy, especially since he had never actually had the experience of talking to another human for long. His own brother constantly forgot that he had a twin, and his parents never remembered his name. He felt so lonely whenever he saw them interacting with each other.

He felt lonely now as well. He watched the gathering from afar, a gathering of all of the countries. They looked like they were having a good time. Matthew bet that they were. It was such a nice day out. The sun was shining, the sky filled with puffy white clouds, and the gentle breeze caressing the leaves in the trees. The wind carried the sounds of their picnic to his ears. The sounds of laughter, of fighting, of simple chatting. He watched them have fun.

How he wished he could join them. How he wished he could walk up to somebody and be acknowledged, to take part in the food and drinks and games and jokes and conversations...

He hugged Kuma closer, snuggling into his sweatshirt. Trying to keep his heart from falling out of his chest, to keep it from shattering into a million pieces, and to cover himself. He felt vulnerable. Fragile.

The shade of the tree he was sitting under was cold.

Alfred was boasting about something boisterously, many countries looking to him in curiosity or annoyance. Matthew, watching the proceedings, didn't notice the person standing a few feet from him.

"Hey, Birdie, what are you doing over here all alone?"

Matthew jumped and his breath hitched, whipping his head up to see who was talking. It was Gilbert, his little bird perched atop his silver-white hair and red eyes staring straight at him.

At first, the blonde was confused. He turned to see if there was someone behind him. But no one was. In fact, the closest person besides the albino was at least thirty feet away. He looked back to Gilbert, who seemed to be expecting an answer.

"Y-you're... talking to me?" He didn't think the other could hear his whisper over the wind.

"Yeah, who else would I be talking to?" He smirked and proceeded to sit down next to Matthew.

Matthew was surprised, to say the least. Shocked, stunned, but he felt a small surge of joy that made his fingertips tingle.

"Sorry for making you jump, by the way," Gilbert apologized.

Matthew shook his head. "N-no... it's fine." He hugged Kuma closer, suddenly self-conscious. He kept smiling, sadly.

The Prussian sat back on his arms, closing his eyes and breathing in the sweet scent of the air. He then sighed it out, and turned to Matthew again. "You didn't answer my earlier question, Birdie." Gilbird chirped atop his head, punctuating the statement.

"Oh..." Matthew thought about it for a few seconds. "W-well, it's because nobody notices me. It doesn't r-really make sense to b-be somewhere where nobody t-talks to you."

"I'm talking to you."

"But you're t-talking to me here. Not there," Matthew pointed toward the picnic.

The albino chuckled. "Good point."

A comfortable silence fell between the two, and Matthew was slightly happy to have company, though he was still sad. He hoped that Gilbert would stay. The albino was staring out at the picnic with a contemplating look in his eye.

"But..." Gilbert started.

"Y-yes?"

"Why don't they talk to you? Why am I the only one to talk to you?"

Matthew shivered. The lump in his throat came back. He kept his small smile plastered on his face. "I-I... I don't know, r-really. I think i-it's because I'm shy, a-and quiet..."

He could feel the tears well up.

"I think that's what makes you more noticeable," Gilbert said, and shook his head. "I don't understand how they could ignore someone like they ignore you."

A tear rolled down his cheek. Gilbert still had his eyes on the gathering, but they glinted in anger.

"It's not right. We're all humans. Why can't they have some re... spect..."

His eyes had finally turned back to Matthew.

Matthew was still smiling.

Gilbert seemed at a loss for words.

The Canadian could only choke out the words when the silence prevailed. "I-I'm sorry... I don't think... I-I can k-keep it up f-for much longer..." He couldn't meet the other's eyes. He buried his face into Kuma's artificial fur and hugged him closer, crushing himself into a small ball, withdrawing into his baggy sweatshirt, sobbing. His smile vanished.

A few moments later, something touched his shaking shoulder, rubbing it. Soon after, a pair of surprisingly warm arms wrapped around Matthew. There was hesitant crooning in his ear.

"Shhh... shhh... it's ok, Birdie, I'm here. I didn't mean to make you cry... please feel better, I'm here for you Birdie..."

_'Gilbert...?'_

Matthew lifted his head a bit to look at the albino, teary indigo eyes meeting worried ruby ones. Pink was dusted on his pale skin, and Matthew's own was soon to follow the example at their close proximity.

"I-I'm sorry, Birdie." It was murmured softly, but Matthew could hear it loud and clear.

Matthew could only think of one thing to say. "I-I'm sorry, too."

_'I'm sorry for keeping up a mask, for lying to you...'_

Fingers gently tilted his face up.

_'I'm sorry I kept a smile up on my face when my heart could only cry...'_

Breath ghosted over his lips.

_'I'm sorry...'_

Soft lips brushed together, eyes slipping closed for the briefest of moments.

_'...that...'_

Gilbert pulled back and smiled, a soft, sweet, and loving smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

_'...I never told you how I felt before this.'_

Gilberts arms were still wound around him, warm and comforting. Matthew swallowed nervously.

"J-Je t'iame..."

"Ich liebe dich auch, mein liebling..."

Matthew smiled. This time, it was a real one.


End file.
